Good Together
by Faolain
Summary: Tonight it wasn't going to end as an act of comfort. Tonight he wanted her for her. He wanted Effie Trinket the woman not Effie Trinket the escort. By removing all the things that screamed 'Capitol' he marked her as his equal.
1. Chapter 1

Oh god, I'm officially shipping Hayffie now! I always felt that there's something between those two but since the movie… heck, now I'm shipping it for real. And HARD. Enjoy! :D

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><p><strong>Good Together<strong>

Effie was glad that it was finally over. The 73th Hunger Games had passed and ended like the years before with two dead tributes from District 12 within the first two days. Traveling back to the district to deliver the bodies after the whole ordeal known as "The Games" was over was almost routine now. Despite everything she couldn't sleep. It was late – too late and probably much too late to try to fall asleep again but after witnessing the death of children she had gotten to know a few weeks earlier it was never easy to find rest let alone a somewhat peaceful sleep.

Knock. Knock.

"Miss? Miss, are you in there? Are you awake? We have a problem!"

Effie sighed, closed the book she had tried to read for hours and slowly got out of bed. She wouldn't answer the door so awfully underdressed without her wig and make-up but she could at least ask.

"Yes, yes. I'm here! How can I help you?" She heard something that sounded like breaking glass in the background.

"Miss, Mr. Abernathy is wrecking the dining-car!" the voice from the other side of the door answered.

"Oh god… You can leave! I'll be there in a second!" Effie grabbed her dressing gown and threw it on in a haste. If Haymitch was playing havoc she couldn't even fix her make-up or her wig. Dignity be damned, explaining a destroyed train to the Gamemakers was the bigger evil than being seen without make up and wig. She silently swore to herself that she would make him pay for that when he was sober but deep down she knew she wouldn't. Like always.

She left her room with swift strides and almost broke out in run as she heard cursing and more breaking glass as she approached the dining-car. Haymitch stood in the middle of it, throwing glasses and bottles at everything breakable in his reach.

"Haymitch! What are you doing!" she almost screeched as she finally took in the mess. He just stared at her with a murderous expression. It made her shiver and she pulled her dressing gown a little tighter around herself.

"What's wrong?" she tried again, this time a little calmer.

"Everything! I can't stand it!" he roared. "Not anymore…" he continued in a whisper. "Not even my fuckin' reflexion in that fucked up mirror!" He smashed another glass against one of the mirrors in the dining-car.

"You really should calm down. It's bad ma-"

He whirled around as fast as he could muster in his drunken state and leaned down so their faces almost touched, his alcoholic breath crawled into her nose and made her toes curl.

"I KNOW, EFFIE! I know… But it's not easy! It's not you who'll have to live with the looks during the next year! And the year after that! I know what they're thinkin'!"

"Haymitch-" She grabbed his arm and pushed him down into a seat. "I'll excuse you from delivering the bodies to the families if that helps. But please stop!"

He muttered something under his breath and continued to stare at her. Something was off with Effie Trinket but he couldn't put his fingers on what it was. She gracefully sat down next to him.

"Is it true?" she finally spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"That you can't stand your own reflection. Is it true?"

"It gives me nightmares."

"Haymitch-"

"Like everything else! I still see that boy in the damned arena when I look into a mirror. I can't stand this fuckin' sight any longer!"

Effie sighed and slightly touched his arm in an attempt at comfort. It were nights like this that made her realise all the more that the games weren't fun for anyone except the citizens of the Capitol. But what could she do? She couldn't stop the murdering each year and she couldn't fix Haymitch. Sometimes he even showed a gentle side of him that scared her more than his drunken rage and made her wonder who he might have become if he hadn't been chosen at a reaping so many years ago. She suddenly noticed something wet beneath her fingers.

"Oh God, you're bleeding!" And on top of that he was bleeding on one of her designer dressing gowns but she swallowed that comment down as soon as the thought had hit her head.

"It's nothing." He sounded bored, absent even.

"Come on, get up Haymitch. Let's get that fixed, alright?" she tried a soft and gentle tone to coax him into cooperating like she was talking to a frightened child. "You'll be as good as new in no time."

He took her hand and got up slowly. His legs shook violently and Effie was sure that this wasn't just a side effect of the alcohol. As she truly looked at him for the first time in days she noticed dark circles and heavy bags under his eyes. He probably hadn't slept since the beginning of the games. His bluish grey eyes suddenly fixed on her like he saw her for the first time in his life.

"How do you suggest I fix…" he paused and pointed sloppily at himself. "- this?"

She hesitated to voice out her thoughts. Getting rid of his drinking habits was not an option for him, she knew as much.

"Even you, oh mighty Effie Trinket, do not know how to fix someone like me."

Effie looked at their joined hands, his big one almost swallowing hers with blood slowly trickling down his arm.

"Let's fix that arm of yours first and then we will talk about other things. Come." She tugged gently on his arm to set him into motion and he followed her like a little puppy, his hand still holding hers in a vice like grip like it was his lifeline. She wondered what must have happened at his Quell to reduce a strong big man like him into such a needy person. It was funny though, that he drunk to drown all of his emotions and instead it made him open and vulnerable and brought a very different man to the surface. A man she could almost like… She squeezed his hand a little tighter, feeling the roughness of his skin against hers.

"Almost there, see?" She led him through the chaos of the dining-car to her room and into her bathroom. "Sit." she ordered. And he followed her order like that little puppy she had compared him to and sat down in front of her bathtub, refusing to let go of her hand.

"Haymitch? My hand? I'm afraid I need it to look for the bandages." It took him a moment to reluctantly let go of her hand. Effie rummaged through the things in her bathroom until she found a small first aid kit and kneeled down between his legs. She took his hairy arm and rolled his torn sleeve carefully up so she could examine the cuts. It thankfully wasn't anything serious but it still needed to be taken care off.

"I'm no expert in this…" she said flatly as she started with disinfecting the bigger cuts. "-but I think that this will burn a little?"

"Gods, woman…" Haymitch groaned in reply. "A lil'? That hurt!"

"I'm so sorry! But we're almost done!" She gently rubbed some healing salve on his arm, wrapped it in a white bandage and smiled up at him. "Your arm will be brand new in the morning!"

He just looked at her curiously and she suddenly realized how close they were with her kneeling between his legs. She blushed. Suddenly something flashed up in his eyes for a moment as recognition found its way into his brain and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Effie…" He raised his freshly bandaged arm and touched her red cheek with his fingertips. "You're wearing no make-up." She stared at him as her mouth formed a thin line, expressing her displeasure.

"Yes and that is entirely your fault!" It wasn't the first time he had seen her without a wig and make-up but he had never noticed it before. He suddenly pulled her close, his head ending up snuggled to her barely covered chest, her own head resting on top of his.

"Thank you." he murmured as he tightened his arms around her.

"Haymitch let-" she stopped mid-sentence as she caught their reflexion in the huge mirror on the opposite of the room. They looked good together. And as much as she had wanted to shove him away a few seconds ago she suddenly was are that he wasn't molesting her but was listening to her heartbeat, eyes closed. Effie exhaled slowly as an idea struck her while she looked at his dark hair.

Haymitch looked calm and peaceful, his breath slowly evening out. A minute passed while neither of them spoke.

"Haymitch? I think I know how to fix that mirror problem…" He grunted something incomprehensible in reply.

"Haymitch? Are you still awake?"

"Mhm."

"Let's dye your hair." She expected an explosion or at least a lecture on how such things were Capitol crap at her suggestion but nothing happened.

"Do whatever you like, sweetheart." And she did. She reached out for something on the edge of the tub and smiled devilishly. The Capitol made sure that every luxury was granted on the train and for the first time in her life she could make use of the instant bleaching that was prepared for every passenger. Whether it was skin, hair or clothing that needed to get lighter in colour – this stuff worked on everything. She shook the bottle twice to set the ingredients on hair bleaching mode and started to massage it into his scalp. She had expected that his hair would feel dry and wiry from the lack of proper care but it felt soft, almost silky between her fingers with the exception of a few dry ends. The man under her moaned softly at her administrations which made her blush even more. A few minutes passed in silence before she gently nudged him back into the world of the living.

"We need to wash that stuff out of your hair."

"Donwannagetup."

"I'll give your scalp another massage if you're nice."

"Fine." He sleepily submitted to the process of getting his hair washed by Effie until she started to towel dry his now blond hair. He looked so different now that he would not recognize himself in the morning which meant that she could add another success to her list.

"Let's get you to bed. You can't sleep on the floor." The 'you're doing that too often for my taste' was swallowed down before she could even think it.

"Whatever you say, darlin'."

Effie ushered a barely conscious Haymitch to his room making sure that they weren't making any noise. He almost fell down on his bed and closed his eyes again when she noticed that his shirt was wet from washing his hair.

"You can't sleep like that. You'll catch a cold!" He didn't reply.

"Haymitch, are you listening? You need to remove your shirt!"

"Make me." was the last thing he spoke that night. She sighed and started to work on the buttons, his sleepy eyes never leaving her slender fingers. When she was done he threw his shirt to the floor and passed completely out the minute he hit the mattress.

Effie watched and shook her head. "Sometimes I really don't know what to do with you, Haymitch." she whispered as she put his blanket around him and pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead. "Sleep well. You deserve a little rest."

It was past noon when he finally left his room the next day and joined her in the freshly cleaned dining-car. A sober Haymitch sat down on the opposite chair and stared openly at her. She smiled sweetly in return and put her teacup on the table in front of her.

"Rough night?" she asked with her Capitol accent thick in her voice. He grunted and stood up again, shaking his head. As he made his way back towards his room she noticed that he stared into every mirror along the way.

"That went well…" she muttered barely audible to herself as her smile widened.

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><p>Chapter two is already in the making so stay tuned and may the odds be ever in your favour!<p>

I hope you enjoyed this chapter; please review! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Tadaaa, here's chapter 2! Thank you for all your kind comments on chapter 1! I'm really overwhelmed with all the positive reactions, made me so happy that I grinned like an idiot for days! I hope you'll also enjoy this chapter, it's full of lovely hayffie-feelings. After asking on Tumblr if dirty is a yes or a no - we are having a winner! Let's heat things up a little! ;D

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><p>Another year had passed and as usual the city was on fire with light and noise on the last day of the games. But this time it was different. No dead tributes from District 12. Roars of "To Katniss!" and "To Peeta!" along with the sound of fireworks could be heard even up in the tower in the apartment of District 12. The citizens of the Capitol were celebrating the two winning tributes, their faces projected everywhere with pictures taken from the arena and the interviews. Scenes of the games played on giant screens over and over again and Caesar Flickerman's voice boomed through the city etching the people on to celebrate, encouraging more noise, more toasts and more fireworks.<p>

The streets would look like hell in the morning.

It seemed like the whole world was celebrating except for the two people sitting at the table in the apartment. The woman sat uncomfortably stiff on her chair and picked at her food and what was worse: She made noise with her fork.

The moment a loud screech emitted from her plate the blond on the other side of the table new that something was terribly wrong and looked up from his glass of whiskey. Effie Trinket never made noise. She usually was a noisy and bossy nag but she never made noise during a meal. That would just be against her beloved outlandish Capitol manners.

"Shut it, woman! I can't get drunk if you keep interrupting the booze from doing its job!"

She looked at him before she averted her eyes in shame for a moment before a pair of slightly frightened, bright blue eyes met his almost grey ones.

"I just… I... " she stammered.

"I know you're worried. But we can't do anything. You know as well as I do that they are safe until the moment they are both fully recovered. You can relax. At least until then."

She pushed her plate away and sighed. "I know, but still… We were so close to losing them both. The latest news I got a few hours ago said that they will most likely not be able to save Peeta's leg. " Her features cringed in disdain.

"And in that hovercraft… Haymitch, it was terrible. She didn't even recognize me!" He just looked at her but didn't reply. "She was disturbed. Wild. Almost like an animal. She looked like she'd been – I don't know how to describe it." She shook her head.

Images of himself being saved from the arena many years ago flashed before his eyes. He had attacked his rescuers and went on rampage in the hovercraft until someone had managed to knock him out with a tranquillizer dart like he was some wild animal that needed to be taken care of. The thing that shocked him about that was that he knew that they had been prepared for his attack and he knew that Katniss would now suffer from the same nightmares he did. Disturbed. Wild. Animalistic. Not quite right in her head…

"Through hell and back?" he suggested.

"Yes. That's probably an accurate description." Effie sighed. "The poor thing… But they're alive."

Haymitch reached for his whiskey and made the liquid swirl in the glass with an elegant motion of his hand. A motion that seemed to be natural for him. He stared at the golden liquor for a brief moment and it looked like that he was about to drink but he closed his eyes instead and pressed the cool glass against his forehead.

"Peeta's leg. A small price paid for both of them being alive." He looked at her. "Imagine! If it all goes well I will return to District 12 with both tributes alive!"

She neatly folded her gloved hands in her lap and stared at them. "Yes. It will be a first. That also means we… that we…" she stammered and blushed slightly but it wasn't visible under her heavy layer of make-up.

"That means we are not – this year - will not have to… we are not going to..." It was clear that it was difficult for her to voice out her thoughts. She looked at him with hope that he would understand and found his eyes twinkling with amusement and something else that probably could pass as mirth as he lifted one eyebrow the way she usually did when she was displeased with his behaviour.

"We're not going to do what, exactly?" he asked smirking.

"Haymitch…" She tried to make him understand with a pleading look. He suddenly got up and walked towards her. As he reached her chair he stood behind her and placed his hands on her upper arms.

"We should celebrate our…" he paused, took a sip from his whiskey and pretended to look for words. "…victory somehow, don't you agree, sweetheart?" The hand that had left her in favour of the whiskey found her arm again as he leaned down so that his mouth was next to her ear.

"And I fully intend to celebrate with you, Effie. But I must remind you that I-" his hands wandered a little further down her arms " -am not going to celebrate anything with the capitol. Especially not this."

The wig went first. He grabbed it and carelessly threw it away together with the net that held her natural hair in place, releasing soft shoulder length honey golden curls. Her gloves followed suit as he mercilessly dragged her to her feet and the ridiculous high heels were lost on the threshold to his rooms because she couldn't follow his pace while wearing them.

He dragged her towards his bathroom and pushed her into his luscious big shower with a force that scared her before he pressed some of the buttons, his eyes never leaving hers during the process. Mere seconds later lukewarm water poured down on them like warm summer rain, soaking their clothes and slowly washing Effie's make up away.

She was paralysed and didn't move an inch, her gaze fixed on him and his suddenly expressive eyes. Haymitch was not the type to show emotion. He almost never did but now he seemed alive with an unusual fire burning inside of him. This was not what she had planned and she was sure that it hadn't been his plan either.

Usually none of them bothered too much with the others appearance. Just one night every year Effie didn't care that Haymitch came from District 12, reeking like a barrel of alcohol and in the same night he didn't mind her Capitol ways and looks. The night the last of District 12's tributes died in the arena was the night when nothing but another warm body was needed for comfort and that was what they usually provided for each other for a couple of hours each year, drowning the sadness and guilt in alcohol and surreal desperate, clumsy touches before boarding the next train back to District 12 to deliver the bodies of the tributes as soon as their presence wasn't required in the Capitol any longer.

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><p>The first time had happened in Effie's second year as an escort. The girl, barely 13 years old, had just been slowly tortured to death by a Career and Haymitch had cursed and screamed at her for reaping such a little girl, for reaping anyone, for working for the fuckin' Capitol' and what not. Bottles, pieces of furniture and glasses had flown and broken around her but she couldn't move. She had just kept staring at the screen, frozen in her position on the couch as her mind replayed the gruesome scenes in her head over and over again. It had slowly sunk in that it was her who had damned the girl to her fate.<p>

When he had calmed somewhat Haymitch had flung himself down next to her on the couch, not caring about granting her any personal space and had glared murderously.

The screen of the muted TV had been the only light source in the otherwise dark room changing both her and Haymitch's skin colours every time the scenes switched. They had still repeated the torturing in slow-motion but now Caesar Flickerman's face had been inserted into a corner as he probably gave his opinion about the event to the audience. Effie had been glad that she couldn't hear a word of his excited comments.

"You know Trinket" Haymitch had growled. "I'm just not killing you because I know that they'll send another one like you next year if I do." The last part of the sentence had come out as a whisper because his voice had been hoarse from screaming. He had touched her throat with the tip of one finger and traced an invisible line down to the hem of her neckline without applying any pressure. It had been the first time he had ever touched her.

This had also been the moment when she hadn't been able to compose herself any longer as the feelings of dread, guilt and desperation seemed to swallow her as a whole. Effie hadn't sobbed. She had refused to show such weakness but silent tears had begun to trickle down her face.

She had wondered briefly why she had ever thought the job was easy. She had been so proud that she had made it as an escort despite her young age but probably 20 was still too young to carry the burden of the job. She was of no use to the tributes and of no use to Haymitch who needed support in this, too. She had silently sworn to herself to do better next year.

As she had slowly turned her head towards him she had seen her lost expression reflecting in his glittering eyes which frequently changed between hollow emptiness and a storm of emotions until a small flicker of realization had found its way into them.

"Well princess, looks like you're not the iceberg I mistook you for…"

They didn't remember who closed the little space between them. His lips had suddenly crashed against hers violently, frantic hands pulling and tearing at bits of clothing. It had been the beginning of a now more than 12 year old tradition between the only mentor and the escort of District 12.

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><p>A gentle touch on her cheek brought her back to reality.<p>

Haymitch cupped her cheek with his right hand and brushed a remaining lipstick stain from her wet lips with his thumb. "Well, let's have a look at what the cat dragged in, shall we?"

He lifted her chin with his hand and as she looked up to meet his scrutinizing eyes while little droplets of water were running down her face. She suddenly felt small and naked. She was smaller than him with her heels on but without them she felt like she was tiny in comparison and she probably really was. Her make-up was gone and she couldn't hide anything now.

Effie visibly stiffened as his expression changed from concentrated into a mix of a warm smile and a smirk. She expected him to laugh at her and how ridiculous she looked but nothing like that happened.

"Looks almost human to me. But there's another thing we need to work on…" he whispered and his free hand started to work on the buttons of her soaked fancy jacket while his eyes were ablaze with a hunger she had never seen before. She finally understood what he had meant when he had told her that he wouldn't celebrate anything with the Capitol. Tonight it wasn't going to end as an act of comfort. Tonight he wanted her for her. He wanted Effie Trinket the woman not Effie Trinket the escort. By removing all the things that screamed 'Capitol' he marked her as his equal.

It was only now that she realised that all the fashionable things in the Capitol were worthless to him and that she probably looked completely normal to him for the first time in her life. The uncomfortable tension in her eased a little and replaced itself with a whole other kind of tension.

She extended a hand to his wet hair running her fingers through it and smiled. It seemed like she was the only one who remembered that blond wasn't his real colour these days. Changing its colour had been her idea after all. He hadn't been amused when he came fully back to his senses but Effie was sure that the awkward, embarrassing hug he had given her during the reaping this year was an act of gratitude instead of an act to spite and ridicule her since he had never openly complained about his hair since the day she dyed it. And it also looked like he had gotten it done again during the year.

Haymitch reached for her Hand and pressed his lips against her knuckles as if he was reading her thoughts.

"I never thanked you for that properly" he whispered against her hand while showering her fingertips with feathery kisses. She smiled up at him, her eyes never leaving the lips that caressed her hand.

"You don't need to. I'm glad it helped."

"You are full of wonders, Effie Trinket…"

"You too. Provided that you're sober."

He smirked as he tossed her jacket to the ground. Her tight pencil skirt followed half a minute later, leaving her in her in her pristine white blouse and lingerie. For once she didn't care that he was ruining her expensive couture. Haymitch lifted her off her feet and pressed her against the tiles of the wall with surprising strength and she wrapped her legs around him in return. Somehow, his waistcoat followed her clothes to the floor and the hand that wasn't supporting her weight started to work on her thin blouse which was now wet and granted him a nice view as it clung toher body.

"I am quite sober, believe me, princess." Effie pulled his head down for a kiss.

"I can still taste the whiskey, Haymitch." she said with fake seriousness, amusement vibrating in her voice.

"Well, right now I know who I am and I know who you are. Isn't that enough, sweetheart?"

A carefree little laugh escaped her as she kissed him again. "It will do, Haymitch. It will certainly do…"

It would do more than just 'do'. During the years she had tried to date other men but it had never been what she had wanted. They bought her gifts, treated her like a lady and invited her to dinner, fashionable events and parties. They were dressed in the newest Capitol fashion with neatly shaven beards or no beard at all, well groomed hair, dashing smiles and adorned with the newest after-shave on the market. They showed her off to their friends and she felt more like a dress up doll than a woman.

The more she socialised with these Capitol kind of men the more she realised it wasn't her cup of tea anymore. Even the most popular bachelors in the city showered her with their attention but she surprisingly found herself wanting none of it because it always felt like something was missing. She wanted something different and on more than just one occasion she caught herself thinking of someone who never bought her anything, who ignored and annoyed her on purpose, obviously lacking manners. A certain someone who never properly shaved so that his face was always covered with stubble and whose hair was an unkempt mess. It had taken time for her to understand what her thoughts indicated but she wanted exactly what she had right now. Haymitch.

Her blouse and his white shirt also ended up on the wet floor.

His eyes locked with hers and he smiled as he traced the outline of her full lips with one of his fingers. "I also know somebody who will be devastated right now." he continued their conversation.

"You're not making sense, Haymitch." She breathed out as he kissed an extremely sensitive spot behind her left ear.

"A certain someone has no escort and no mentor to show to the press this evening because you told him that we're too tired for interviews after days of being awake. And if he knew of that – "he gently bit her earlobe, making her gasp softly. "-he would kill himself. Can't say I'm sorry 'bout that, sweetheart." It took her a moment to realise who he meant.

"Seneca? We're friends, nothing else." They had been next-door neighbours all her life. Back in the days he had lived next door with his family and when they both had moved out from home they had ended up in the same building as next door neighbours again. People were betting on when they would finally end up together, the youngest escort and the youngest head Gamemaker.

"Too bad poor Seneca doesn't want to be just friends. He's been eating you alive with his eyes for years. Even I noticed and most of the time I was drunk." Haymitch didn't know why he knew or why he even bothered. It probably was because he always paid too much attention to her. He always was aware of her whereabouts in the room no matter how drunk he was and he always was aware of the eyes that followed her. The bits of conversations concerning her he often overheard adding to it too. It annoyed him that he was so fixed on her without knowing why.

Effie sighed softly and looked at Haymitch, her lips slightly parted, her wet golden hair sticking to her face. "What is it that you want to hear? It's the truth."

He kissed her softy, his tongue gently tracing the small parting on her lips, begging for entrance. He stopped and his gaze bored into her eyes like the spear that had pierced little Rue's body.

"Tell me that you're mine." She could feel the rumble in his chest vibrating through her own body because he pressed her so firmly against the wall and if he hadn't literally swept her of her feet earlier her knees would have become too weak to support her. The heat crawled into her cheeks, her pulse quickened and she knew that she was blushing furiously as she folded her now trembling hands a little tighter around his neck. The sound of the water pouring down on them was suddenly almost deafening, the otherwise prominent silence unbearable. The tension was so thick that she could almost feel it pressing down on her. As she took in his expression she noticed that he was serious. The playfulness from a little while ago was gone, his eyes showing anticipation mixed with a sweet kind of fear. Lying about it, as she had considered briefly for her own sake, wasn't an option anymore.

"I-I am." she finally answered with a low but steady voice. "I am yours, Haymitch." She drew a deep shuddering breath. "I've probably been for years."

Her declaration made his heart swell with a few different feelings at the same time. The first was possessiveness. She was his. "Wouldn' have that any other way, princess." He mumbled before he attacked her mouth again, this time challenging her into a fierce battle of tongues.

The second feeling was something he hadn't felt in years. Contentment. Deep down his mind registered that this whole thing would cause trouble, especially after the stunt Katniss had pulled with the Nightlock berries. Who knew how long they all had to live when they weren't in the president's favour anymore? He, for once, had never been since he won the Quell but Effie was innocent. She acted her part out to perfection despite the fact that she hated and dreaded it with each passing year a fraction more than the last and he hated and loved her for it at the same time. Being with her felt right. The thought hit home. He loved her.

He had known for far too long that he harboured feelings for Effie Trinket but admitting it was another thing he had to deal with because he was practically dysfunctional without her. It was her who at least helped him to put himself back together each year no matter how awfully he behaved around her. Her tears all those years ago had made him realize that he wasn't alone in this horrid thing and that even people from the Capitol opposed the barbarism of the games. Sometimes he even drank less when she was around but acted as if he was out of his mind because it was fun to spite her and rile her up.

He couldn't help smiling as he broke the kiss in need of air. "I hope you are aware that you're getting all of me in return, princess."

She answered with one of her own dazzling smiles and chuckled softly. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Haymitch." Some of the carefree playfulness was restored.

"That's a first. We're both agreeing on something!" he murmured as he started to kiss along her jawline down to her still clothed breasts. He pushed a button on the wall and the water suddenly stopped, being replaced by the automatic drying process. Lifting her up a little further he stepped away from the wall, fumbling with the hook of her bra behind her back. After the annoying garment found its way to the floor he suddenly lifted her up bridal style and carried her, half dried, back to his bedroom. He threw her down on his bed and rid himself of his remaining clothes. As he helped her to get rid of her knickers he felt the awkwardness of the situation for a moment but choose to ignore it. He wasn't used to doing this while he was sober. Instead he leaned down to kiss her again.

What had started as another soft kiss grew into something electrifying as he felt her small hands roaming up and down his body and the idea of not rushing it lost its allure rather quickly. She was glorious with her creamy white skin, blond hair and kissable lips, now red and swollen from his kisses, in the dim light of his bedroom. Her skin felt unbelievingly soft under his calloused hands and he briefly wondered why he had never noticed it before. Probably it was because he had always been drunk to a point where it affected his brain.

Effie didn't feel much different. His touch set her skin on fire and she couldn't help but want more of it. More of him. She could feel his hard on pressing teasingly against her core and the thought of it was almost unbearable but she wouldn't beg for it. Never. By know he had started to kiss and lick every inch of her skin he could reach but always careful enough so he didn't leave a mark anywhere on her body and it drover her mad. As he cupped her breasts with his hands she arched her back to meet his touch. She craved the feeling of his skin against hers. One of her hands wandered up his torso to his face, feeling his three-day stubble. It was much more to her liking than the clean shaven faces of the men in the Capitol. Haymitch pressed a gentle kiss to her fingertips as her hand passed his mouth before it founds its way into his hair. Just kissing and touching suddenly wasn't enough anymore.

Her breath hitched as he buried himself in her without a warning. She reached out slowly and touched his chest, her other hand still tangled in his messy hair. His eyes locked with hers again and he saw his own emotions reflecting in them. She unconditionally wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"Mine." he whispered before he leaned down again to engage her in a searing kiss. He started to move achingly slow, torturing her and himself with the pace. She moaned into the kiss and it almost tore his restraints apart but he fully intended on making her his. If he had any say in this he would snatch her away from the blasted Capitol forever. Her hands wandered to his back and as he changed the now familiar rhythm of his strokes her nails dug into his skin accompanied by a soft moan, leaving several scratches on his back. He didn't care. His clothes never revealed much skin so no one but himself would see them.

When her hands were back to fluttering across his body he almost lost it again but he composed himself once more. At least in bed he intended to be a gentleman and the most important rule right now was ladies first. It didn't take long to get her there and as he felt her walls clench around him accompanied by a loud moan and a deep shuddering breath he allowed himself his own release. He collapsed on top of her, pressing her down into the soft mattress with his full weight. Both of them were panting like they had run a marathon. It took him a few minutes to regain enough strength to roll off of her, shifting their position to a more comfortable one with her wrapped up in his strong arms, one hand intertwining with hers as she settled her head down on his chest.

"I am sorry about your back, Haymitch…" she finally said, breaking the silence as they slowly came back to reality. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her hand in a way he hoped was reassuring to her.

"Don't be, princess. Ever." He could feel the stretch of her smile on his skin.

"I'll try…"Her breath evened out and she drifted off to sleep shortly after.

He also felt the weariness tugging at his senses, inviting him over into a world of peaceful sleep. He had never told her but the night when they were together each year usually was the only night he truly slept for at least a few hours. She snuggled closer to him in her sleep, her head still resting on his chest while he absently rubbed circles on the smooth skin of her back. The whole situation was still somewhat awkward and yet incredibly peaceful.

He had heard the whispers of a rebellion that needed a spark to burn and he knew that Katniss' stunt must have set something on fire by now. As he looked down on Effie's sleeping form he made a decision. If anyone asked him if he wanted to join in he would do so without hesitation. If he ever wanted to be with her, truly be with her without risking her life, the Capitol must vanish into thin air. He drifted off hours later when it was almost dawn, his last thoughts circling around the fact that it was lovely to have this woman in his bed when he was sober and that he might be able to convince his little hellcat of another round before it was time to leave the warmth of the bed again.

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><p>Just a little romance before life is getting serious again. Reviews are lovely.. ;)<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Oh my god, thank you all for your lovely reviews on chapter 2! ;_; Hayffie 4ever!

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><p>Effie woke early as usual. It took her a moment to realize where she was and why a dead weight that turned out to be Haymitch's arm was almost strangling her when the memories of the previous night came back. She carefully turned around and looked at the dark silhouette of the man next to her. His eyes were firmly closed and his face more relaxed than she had ever seen. Sleep smoothed out the fine lines that had started to appear on his face. Most of them were lines of worry.<p>

He definitely looked younger and less haunted in his sleep. She knew that he never got much sleep in the first place because the nightmares never left him alone. As far as she knew Haymitch, he had probably fallen asleep when the first streaks of sunlight had appeared on the horizon since he wasn't fond of sleeping in the dark.

She carefully slipped away from him and out of bed so she would not disturb his sleep and quietly picked up her cloths. Most of the things were still too wet to wear so she opted for her knickers and one of his large shirts he hadn't bothered to put into his wardrobe. Her room was almost next to his but going nude with the chance of anyone of the prep teams catching her wasn't a scenario she liked especially since Cinna was showing signs of a rather heavy sleep disorder since the beginning of the games. They were all worried but sometimes she forgot that it was the first year for the two prep teams. They weren't used to it yet and she was glad that they didn't have to face the burden of watching their tributes die this year but the inevitable would come. If not in this then most certainly next year. She tiptoed back to the bed and leaned down to press a soft kiss to Haymitch's lips as he suddenly kissed her back and grabbed her wrist.

"Goin' somewhere?"

"It's already morning." she whispered. "I need to go back to my room."

"It's still early…"

"We're having a busy day ahead on us, Haymitch. Try to catch some more sleep." He let go of her with a small sigh and watched as she slowly went to the door. He grinned as he noticed her attire.

"Nice outfit, princess."

She smiled back at him despite the fact the she was sure he couldn't see it in the barely lit room from the distance.

"Goodnight, Haymitch." When the door closed behind her with a soft click he registered that his chance of another and longer round had walked away too.

The next days passed so fast that they hardly spoke to each other between interviews, banquets and preparations for the ceremony of the 74th hunger games. The only hours they both had been free of official duties were spent arguing with the Gamemakers about plastic surgery on a still unconscious Katniss but the little changes in their relationship were visible if people watched close enough. At mealtimes they handed each other the things the other one was in need of before the question was asked and especially breakfast was quieter than usual. Effie usually had 3 cups of black coffee and Haymitch normally made sure that the coffee was on the other end of the table. Haymitch was always in need of lots of sugar for his own single cup of coffee because he hated to drink it black and it was Effie's turn to place the sugar as far away from him as possible. Now she handed him the sugar in exchange for a refill of her cup without speaking to each other. Cinna noticed it at some point, eyebrows rising questioningly but Haymitch simply shrugged it off and Effie pretended she hadn't noticed him noticing.

But life in the Capitol was never peaceful for long. The evening before the ceremony Haymitch was called away to a meeting with one of the Gamemakers. The moment the peacekeeper who had brought the message told them that only Haymitch's presence was requested by a Gamemaker named Heavensbee Effie knew that something was wrong. If it were something concerning official things Seneca Crane would approach her personally because she was the connection between the Capitol and the people from the districts. She already had her suspicions but it wasn't her place to speak of it. She would do what she always did: act as if she was blissfully unaware. After years of practise she was rather good at doing so. The fact that Haymitch requested to speak to Cinna alone when he returned almost three hours later with a dead serious expression added to the feeling that something must have gone terribly wrong somewhere. She noticed that he kept away from alcohol too during the next days which only made her suspicion worse and her stomach churn in fear but she hid it well.

The ceremony and the last interview with Caesar passed quickly and thankfully without anything going wrong, too. But they were never left alone. They arrived at District 12 without a chance to speak to each other in private and Haymitch knew that time was running out. They were surrounded by people and when it was time for Effie to leave about an hour later Peeta hugged her and he noticed that this was his only chance.

He pulled her into a hug as he had done with Katniss on the day of the ceremony which shocked quite a few people but Peeta doing the same just a few minutes earlier gave him the perfect excuse to do so as well. "Listen, princess. We need to talk. As soon as you are back to 12 for the tour you'll seek me out immediately, no matter what time it is. Promise me."

"I promise." She whispered back and boarded the train without a second glance at him or anyone else.

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><p>Effie Trinket was a person who always kept her promises and so she found herself 6 month later wandering the dirty and snow covered lanes of District 12 towards Victor's Village at half past 4 in the morning. It was late or rather early depending on the way you looked at it but she hadn't truly slept properly in weeks. She now had a taste of what Haymitch must have felt like for the past 24 years. All she wanted to do was passing out and giving in to the bone deep weariness but every time she tried it was to no avail. Peaceful sleep wouldn't find her anymore.<p>

The damn snow was ruining her shoes and it was hard not to slip in her stilettos but at least the snow muffled the clicking of her heels and it wasn't snowin or raining in her face right now. The prep teams had gone to bed somewhere around three, long before the train had arrived at the station and she had snuck out unseen. They weren't required to meet with Katniss and Peeta before noon anyway so she was sure that she would make it back unseen as well. She had been to Haymitch's house before but this time she was alone and a little afraid of what she might find there. He could be a raving lunatic when he was in withdrawal and even more so when he was completely drunk.

Even covered in sugar like snow and bright moonlight the district wasn't pretty. Everything looked grim and it was eerily silent except for the howling of the wind and the snow crunching under her feet. When she finally reached Victor's Village she noticed that in two of the houses were lights on. One, she wasn't sure, belonged to either Katniss or Peeta and the other belonged to Haymitch. She wondered if he was expecting her at this hour. She slowly strode towards Haymitch's house when a dark thing suddenly crossed the snow covered street a few centimetres from her feet and she couldn't suppress a small yelp of surprise. It was just a cat and she noticed that even the cats in District 12 were ugly. As far as she could see in the moonlight it missed one ear and the nose seemed to be oddly disfigured. It looked at her for a moment before it turned and disappeared. The light in the house that wasn't Haymitch's went off in exactly that second.

She walked a little faster until she had finally made it to his door. When she knocked and no one opened she started to worry after a few minutes. Despite going in without his consent was bad manners she just let herself in because it was terribly cold outside and knowing him he probably hadn't heard or slept somewhere. The first thing she noticed was the smell. The house reeked so badly of alcohol that the stench almost brought tears to her eyes. The second thing was that the smell wasn't just alcohol but something else. He probably hadn't opened a window in ages. She nearly tripped over Haymitch, sprawled on his back on the floor between a few empty bottles, a few meters away from the front door. He didn't look harmed in any way and she assumed that he must have passed out from too much alcohol again. She sighed and removed her coat and gloves and placed her things on one of the nearby kitchen counters because it seemed to be the only clean space she could spot. When she was back in the hall she bent over him.

"Haymitch. Wake up." He didn't stir.

"Haymitch" she tried a little louder this time. He still didn't move and she was tempted to kick him but restraint herself from doing so. When she bent down further in an attempt to touch him his eyes suddenly shot open, he grabbed her wrist and staggered to his feet while he searched feverishly for his knife with his free hand. She let out a small shriek at his sudden movement. "You scared me!" He didn't answer and by the strange look he gave her she was happy that his knife seemed to be out of reach.

"Haymitch?" Silence. He let go of her wrist and started to circle around her like a predator on unsteady feet.

"Haymitch, it's me. Effie." The man in question just stared.

"I know you. But… .." he said with a finality that scared her. It was probably one of the worst conditions she had seen him in.

"No no, I am real! The victory tour, remember?" it was hard for her to hide the trace of panic in her voice. His eyes travelled up and down her body several times.

"Ah, my favourite fantasy…"he mumbled, stepping closer to her. She stepped back.

"Haymitch! Believe me, I am real!"

"Course' you are, princess." Her back hit the wall with a small 'thud' and she suddenly found herself trapped between solid stone and his body.

"Hay-" she was interrupted by a slushy kiss that tasted an awfully lot like strong alcohol and like he hadn't brushed his teeth in quite a while. He also smelled like he hadn't showered in weeks and he obviously hadn't shaved too. It was disgusting.

"Stop-" Another Kiss.

"It-" Another Kiss.

"This-" Another Kiss.

"Instant!" she screamed and shoved him off. Before her fear could get the better of her she grabbed him by his collar and dragged him upstairs into his bathroom where she pushed him into the shower and quickly turned the tap. The irony that they'd been in a similar situation in a very different mood month ago wasn't lost on her. He protested and tried to get away as the ice cold water hit him but she mercilessly shoved him back until he had sobered up.

"Goddammit woman! What do you think you're doing?" he roared.

"The only thing any sane person would do with you!"

He glowered at her and snorted. "Of course." When he looked at the window he noticed that it was still dark outside. "What do you want, princess?"

"Talk. Remember?" It took him a moment before he slowly nodded in her direction.

"There's a lot to talk about." she said with a small sigh. The Capitol had also set things into motion. She hadn't come to District 12 with good news herself. "Just… make yourself presentable and then we'll… talk." Effie turned on her heels without another glance at him and left the bathroom, the clicking of her heels echoing on the floor until she was out of his earshot. The first thing she did was open the windows despite the cold. The house was easier to clean when the air wasn't reeking of alcohol and mouldy air. When a washed, shaven and freshly dressed Haymitch went downstairs almost 45 minutes later the air was a lot cleaner and his living room looked tidier than before. His clothes weren't particularly clean but at least cleaner than the stuff he had worn earlier. The empty bottles were all gone. He sat down on the couch next to her and sighed. The fact that he was getting a headache wasn't helping the situation at all.

"So? I assume there's something you wanted to tell me?" she started after a few minutes of silence.

"You probably figured out by now that President Snow wasn't fond of the little stunt our golden girl pulled with the berries."

An unladylike snort escaped her. "You can say that."

"The evening I was called away I was given a warning." And an opportunity - but he didn't mention it. "If she messes things up with the boy we will face the consequences."

Effie swallowed. "But I thought…"

"No. She's a good actress, fooled them all. But she's not in love with the boy. Never was and probably never will."

"Gods…" Effie whispered. "But she has no choice now. That whole love thing was the excuse for them both being still alive! If word gets out that she isn't…"

"Then make sure that word doesn't get out, princess. Keep an eye on her and cover if she fails at pretending." She nodded and sighed.

"What about him?"

"He's quite smitten with her. No need to worry 'bout that."

"Good. There's also something I need to tell you." She had wanted to talk about it so badly but back at the Capitol what was supposed to be her home she couldn't. There was no one to tell, no one she could trust with this information. It was too dangerous. It had happened almost 5 month ago and she had kept it all to herself since then. "Haymitch… I was also given a warning. Seneca is dead. They executed him."

He looked at her with a strange expression. He barely remembered that Effie and the Head Gamemaker had been neighbours. "How?" he asked in a strained tone, fearing the worst. Had they made her watch like they had done with him when they had come to finish off his family and girlfriend? Her gaze shifted to her lap and back to his eyes as she nervously bit her lower lip.

"It was a month after the games when things had settled down… They came to his apartment and killed him in the middle of the night. I heard it all…" He could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "They wanted me to hear or else they would have done it elsewhere. I- I think-" she drew a shuddering breath "-the whole thing was especially set up this way just for me. It was awful."

He had thought that at least Effie would be safe because she played her part of obedient Capitol citizen to perfection but she seemed to be in the same danger they all were in. If Snow had no problem killing off one of the most popular and liked citizens of the Capitol they were in more trouble than he had thought. Snow's revenge would come one way or another.

"I haven't told anyone… I couldn't. I'm so scared…" she sobbed. He leaned over and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head when she wasn't able to stop the tears from falling anymore. "I know, princess. I know…" It felt awkward to hold her after all those month but he noticed that his feeling about her hadn't changed one bit. He still wanted her like a starving man in need of food. He wanted to possess and protect her in every way possible. The woman was like a drug to him, fueling feelings long since forgotten and hidden under his own protective walls. He clenched his jaw because it angered him that he could already see her changing from his Effie into someone who was a bit more like him.

"There's another thing I need to tell you… He is here. He came with us from the Capitol." She didn't need to tell him who she meant.

The impeccable feeling of doom settled into Haymitch's stomach and for the first time in years it wasn't the alcohol that made him nauseous. He calmed Effie down as good as possible and immediately sent her back to the train. If the president was here than she was in even more danger if he ever found out that she'd visited him. After she had left he took another bottle, sat down at his kitchen table and drowned the sorrowful conversation in alcohol hoping that the snow would erase all traces of Effie's visit to him.

Later that day he was woken by ice cold water being poured down on him again. Before he was back in his right mind to give a warning to the girl Peeta joined them and his chance of telling Katniss about Snow was lost. He really needed to stop drinking if he wanted to achieve anything.

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><p>End of chapter 3… life's getting more serious as promised! I just wrote a super cool Haymitch VS Coin scene for later chapters and I so wish that I could post it right now because it's so "IN YOUR FACE COIN!" but yeah, there's still a victory tour and a Quell that want to be written before that can happen.<p>

I also need to inform you that I probably won't be able to update for the next 2-3 weeks because semester exams are coming up and I must start preparing. I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as I have a bit of spare time on my hands, I promise!


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